This week I'm at Chicago Theological Seminary where not far away Hadiya Pendleton was killed on Tuesday as we sat in a doctor of ministry course. One of my CTS classmates, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, lost his son to gun violence in 1999. How many more kids? Now is the time to act.
Action Alert from the Justice and Witness Minitries of the United Church of Christ
Despite the unrelenting and terrible toll taken by gun violence year after year in the United States, Congress has done distressingly little to address what has become a major public health threat. While tragic incidents of gun violence like the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Aurora, Colorado and Oak Creek, Wisconsin draw national headlines, in many communities across the country, the impact of gun violence is a day-to-day reality.
Members of the faith community have long advocated for sensible, responsible policies to end gun violence. The 20th UCC General Synod spoke prophetically on this issue with a resolution entitled “Guns and Violence,” which invited UCC members and congregations to advocate for legislation to strengthen licensing and registration of gun sales, strengthen regulations of gun dealers and ban semiautomatic assault weapons and high capacity ammunition clips.
The faith community has come together many times in the aftermath of gun tragedies to urge lawmakers to pass laws that prevent gun violence and this week we do so once again. Tested by our grief, resolute in our faith we remain committed to continuing this drumbeat.
God, Guns And The Church - The Darkest Valley from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.
